248 Comments

I believe Gomez will have a comeback season. I think what we may see is a pleasant ripple effect. Gomez and Cole will be the main wave in respect. If they do what theyre supposed to do, Habs will be able to produce that extra goal for Price to get the W. That was one of the main issues last year: Price held us in and the Habs just couldn’t get that extra goal or 2. Overall I think PG has done a nice job this off season so far and The Habs have the weapons to do some damage! Go Habs Go!

To John Kreiser: Gomez needs to prove that he should be on an NHL roster and not in the “A.” And, it’s not like he just sucked upon joining the Canadiens. He bit the root on the Rangers and Glen Sather found the one fish who would bite on his line.

Anyone else notice that this tribute video uses the Toronto skyline in the beginning at the 11 second mark… How can someone make a tribute to a city and their hockey team, and mistake a rival teams city as its own?! Terrible!

This is my first entry, i don’t usually do this but i had a good time reading other blogs so i thought i would try it out. first i like to say im a horrible speller who dosent care about spell check. thanks.
Secondly i would like to state that the management bothers me to no end. For the last 10 to 15 years we have been a middle of the pack team with no major push for the cup. i almost feel like we should boycott the molson center. Unlike other years we have a solid core, Price, pk, goerges and hopefully max. I think we should trade everyone else for draft picks(1) and young talent so in 2 to 3 years we could do a serious push.

price had a fantastic regular season…the reality is that while the habs took the bruins to 7 games they were not really a cup champion quality team because of injuries and depth issues. assuming that the habs make the playoff this year the first round will be a toss up again…majority of the teams are so close that we may have the most 7 game series ever in the playoffs next year…

You know what is funny…. A helluva lot of people on here this time last year were all “Carey is the wrong choice”, “We traded the wrong guy” yadda yadda.. I really do think Gomer will come around and play like he was supposed to.. when he admitted to the press that his season sucked, it wasn’t to just tell us what we wanted to hear.. I mean who goes around admitting they suck without changing?

Twitter: Habziefan09

Confucius says: “Baseball has it all wrong, Man with 4 balls cannot walk!”

Say what you like about Carey – great season, excellent numbers – but we were still eliminated in the first round. We can’t say what Halak would have done can we?
As well, you bringing it up is kind of a dick move, no? Stirring the pot, holier than though, etc…

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Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened.

Are you really going to go there? He had a 2.11 goals against and a .934 save percentage. He outplayed Thomas by a wide margin. Where was Halak’s team that he netminded for? We were eliminated in the first round by a sudden death goal by a player who should have been penalized and because our teams offence at the time was having a hard time putting points on the table. Halak would not have done much better. I wouldn’t call other posters holier than thou when you apparently seem to have the answers.

Gomez will bounce back this season. You can’t get worse and contrary to popular belief, the guy actually does give a crap.

I would say that insinuating that not making it out of the first round is in fact the dick move, especially when Halak didn’t even make the playoffs and Price posted better numbers in the playoffs than Halak did a season ago.

Say what you want about Price’s stats. He still has to have a better playoff record than he does. Always losing in the 1st or 2nd round doesn’t say much for his “elite” status.
Will the guys be better in front of him this season? Probably. Will Price be better in the playoffs this season? Going by his past performance, probably not. Does he need more seasoning? How many seasons do thoroughbreds need? 5, 6, 7?
Show me the Finals, Price, and my regard for your ability will go up. As of now, he’s not been very impressive during the playoffs.

You can’t use this season’s playoff run against him. What more did you want him to do? He can’t score overtime goals. With the numbers he was putting up its not a stretch to think we could have gone deeper. He completely outclassed St. Thomas in the first round. I’m not saying he is infallible, but fair is fair, no?

so far in his career ak46 has shown that he is not reliable in big games…ak46 probably has had as many negative post as any hab over the last 3 years as he tends to go on streaks where he is terrible and looks gassed after 20 seconds…ak46 will be a 3rd liner till he shows he can be a factor in big games…

Ak’s a good player who might have the potential somewhere but will never be great. That’s not a bad thing. A lot of people will just never accept it. He is an amazing third liner and an underwhelming second liner. He’s more of a sprinter than a marathon runner. Shows incredible flashes of brilliance but he can’t maintain it. If we started to just accept that about him we will all start to love him I think.

That being said, I’m sure he is in for at least a couple 30 goal seasons in his career but that will be where he peaks.

I highlighted two incidents of vicious attacks on guys playing for the Invincible, Intractable, Indestructible Bruins. About as many as were inflicted were upon MTL, or arguably less in the last two seasons. I continue to raise the issue of what makes the Bruins tough or able to intimidate their opponents if these incidents happen to them.

I’ve yet to see anything resembling a stable argument about what makes Boston ‘tough’ and Montreal ‘weak’ if Boston failed to respond to vicious assaults on their players. I wait for one that I know will never come because it’s impossible to reconcile the arguments.

Julien changed the mentality of his team after the Savard hit for one thing.

Boston is tough because they can go out there and lay the body with impunity on other teams. Montreal is weak because they can’t. Boston is tough because they have a few players, Thorton, Lucic, Chara to name a few that can muck it up and bust heads. The Habs can’t.

You have to stop pointing to the Savard hit as an example proving the Bruins cowardice or weakness. It’s a global thing. The Bruins are a tough team, physically. The can punish their opponents. The Habs can’t.

Their response to the Savard hit was to change their dynamic and they did. They got meaner and tougher. Another thing. The Savard hit, as bad as the results it produced, was still a clean hit. It did not bear the same suggested malice that Chara’s hit on Pacioretty had.

Like I said. Having a few tough players to meet out hockey justice will not avoid injuries but could very well lessen them. At least it can send a message to other teams that messing with our skilled players has a price. Something the Habs can’t do and something the Bruins can.

Tony ,trust me your not the only one that wants revenge. It is ironic that our old coach “Julien” gave Count Chocula a wake up call on how to win in the NHL. I’ll tell you this …you put AK on the Bruins and he’ll pot 40 goals this season.

The opinion is growing that this will be Gomez’s last season with CH. Well, let’s make it a worthwhile one.
Forget about him scoring.
Okay, that’s easy enough to do. Next, don’t spend too much time thinking about him becoming an assist machine once again.
A bit tougher, but doable.
Now think about Gomez as hired thug. He’s got the five o’clock shadow, the swagger, and a stick. All he needs is the right attitude.
So what exactly will be his new role?
Mission: to be the last one to the corner and arrive at the speed of a missile.
Mission: to drift along the blueline waiting to catch an opponent with his head down as he receives a pass
Mission; to respond to every slash and every crosscheck with two in reply (and that’s two-for-one for every slash and crosscheck administered to ANY Canadien, not just Gomez).
Now some Hab fans might take exception to this suggested makeover, seeing as it might contravene a rule or two and basic principles of sportsmanlike but far more, I am certain, will find favour with the team’s highest paid player finally providing value for what he is compensated.
Those of a certain age will remember the transformation Stan Mikita underwent from one season to the next in the ’60s, when the scoring champion went from being among the more heavily penalized players in the league to Lady Byng winner — twice.
Is it too much to ask the most heavily criticized player in the league to become its most ruthless?

I gotta admit, I do the same thing with the Ticats as I do with the Habs. I switch channels if I feel I’m jinxin’ the team. So I missed the miscarriage of justice (?). But, hey, we’re talkin’ the Argos here, the Leafs of the CFL, so, really, what is justice if not a loss.

I don’t get the fuss about AK46. Well I haven’t read what people have said, but it seems like it’s a fuss.

I like when a guy says what’s on his mind. MaxPac for example. All he said was he thinks JM didn’t use him right a lot of the time. It’s not like people haven’t accused JM of that before. JM holds some skills above others. He loves defensive guys, who are good without the puck in their own end. AK has had his lapses. I mean what do you want him to say, after spending a lot of time on the 3rd line with Eller and Darche or whoever. The guy gets very little PP time as well. The bread and butter of a top 6 player. It’s not like JM is maximising AK’s potential by playing him in ideal spots.

The key now is to bring the goods this camp to force JM to play him in more of a primetime offensive role.

As for Gomer, I don’t believe he can get worse than last season. He really seemed embarrassed about his play at the end of the season. I mean if the guy doesn’t find the motivation to salvage his pride and reputation after last season, then he never will and he should retire. If he can manage even 15g and 45a, AND STAY A + PLAYER. that would be satisfactory for this team. I wish him luck.

Agree about AK. People are making too big a deal of nothing. WHAT??? A professional athlete said out loud he felt his coach didn’t use him as he would use himself????? OH THE SHAME AND LACK OF RESPECT………. All nonsense
As for Gomez, I agree too. He needs to have a big season salvage his reputation. He is a great player, and when doing well, great things can happen.

As a veteran on the team, AK should have known better and kept his issues out of the spotlight. Max Pac also had a minor hissy fit when he was called back up, but he was a rookie… And he stepped up when given the opportunity.

I’m not a big fan of JM’s line juggling. But the results speak for themselves; we made the show with a badly depleted lineup and without a top 2 center. AK paid the price, but others did too and they aren’t whining like little bitches… Pretty weak stuff from someone who should be a leader on this team.

Who IS the leader on the Canadiens???? Maxpac appeared to be emerging until the Chara assault. Gio ain’t. Gill ain’t. Price ain’t. I foresee PK and Max as the next generation of leaders but we still need meat to protect them. And everyone else. Another Fergy-Nilan-Probert type. Now. Not in 2-3 years. Now.

I can’t be the only one wanting revenge against Chara, Julien & Co. Do you think Toe Blake or Scotty Bowman would have let them get away with it?

really man? If you don’t think that Gill and Gio are’nt leaders then me and you have completely different understanding of the word… I cannot speak for their leadership off the ice since I am not in the locker room but I can easily recognize it when a guy throws himself infront of a 100 MPH puck (Gill) and / or a guy who’s size says he should be nowhere near the opposite net crashes it every chance he gets and scores those dirty goals (Gio)

Pouliot is no loss, Cole has that covered should have kept Halpern brought in one more scorer someone who could put up 20 points along with moen I’m sure they could put up 40 points amongst the three of them that would be a improvement on the 4th line….

…being concerned Hickey was going a little overboard on AK’s unsurprising revelations this morning as I slurped my coffee on a beautiful Saturday morning in BC, plus reading with despondency the worsening political and social morass in Our concaving world, …I was finally bemused and relieved to learn of a confirmation from Sesame Street producers that Bert and Ernie will NOT be getting married as speculated
…and, that their ‘relationship’ was and IS, …strictly ‘platonic’
…I don’t know about You, but THAT made My mornin’ sun
a little brighter and warmer
Habitant means PASSIONATE HOCKEYhttp://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=423049

Why does AK have to go, because he said he doesn’t like how the coach played him for parts of last season? If I was him, I wouldn’t be happy either. This is a huge year for AK, with his 1 year RFA deal he has. I think he goes UFA next season? Regardless, this is a make or break year for him in MOntreal. Let his play speak and let’s stop getting carried away with nonsense.

We rely on sports journalists to let us know what is going on with the team they cover. They have access to players and the dressing room, so they know what’s what. Too often though, they don’t use that access to our benefit, they keep ‘secrets’ close to the vest for fear of damaging relationships and losing that access. Which often leads me to wonder why they bother going in the dressing room in the first place.

I’m assuming that Mr. Hickey is not basing his evaluation strictly on the Belarussian interview, but more on the entirety of Mr. Kostitsyn’s oeuvre. This is not an isolated incident for him, like when Brian Skrudland was involved in a bar fight with some more tempestuous teammates. Brian was absolved of sin by his stellar conduct prior to and after this incident. I’m thinking Mr. Hickey knows of quite a few more incidents beyond the mafia caper for le Frere Andrei. If his article seems like an overreaction, it may be because we don’t know all the dirt on Mr. Kostitsyn, and don’t know how much of a disruptive force he is in the room and within the team.

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For my training camp surprise, I want the second coming of Mike McPhee. And maybe Kent Carlson.

You’re making way too many assumptions here without anything to back them up. Mr. Hickey was reacting to the Belarussian article so we have to assume that his opinion was based on that and on the other reasons he mentionned. You can’t just assume players have done something we don’t know about every time a Montreal hockey journalist seems like he’s overreacting.

I stated clearly at the start of the second paragraph that I’m making an assumption. This is partly based on the deafening silence coming from all three or four of Mr. Kostitsyn’s supporters. Mr. Hickey apparently felt it was safe to take a good shot at him without too much retribution. He probably feels that tearing a strip off him is safe and he won’t be frozen out by the rest of the team when he tries to interview them and generally do his job when training camp starts up. That he feels secure in doing so, and that no teammate or other reporters in the know have yet spoken up to defend Mr. Kostitsyn generally and against the Gazette article in particular, speaks volumes.

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For my training camp surprise, I want the second coming of Mike McPhee. And maybe Kent Carlson.

Saying “I’m assuming” doesn’t completely take away the burden of the proof. It’s still the off-season and it’s perfectly normal that no one is here to defend him. In fact, Kostitsyn hasn’t defended himself either; does that mean he admits he’s a cancer?

Besides, it’s silly to think a reporter would be cut off from the players because of that. With the number of people that asked for Carey Price’s head two years ago, there wouldn’t be a lot of people left to cover the team.

Hey guys. Sorry this is a bit off topic but I thought I should ask people who know best.

What is the best way to get Habs single game tickets? I’d like to go to two games during reading week in Feb. at the Bell Centre. I’ve been browsing around and it appears there are some season ticket holders selling some (affordable) tickets. I’ve read that there’s a waiting room if you try to get tickets when they’re released. But from what I’ve read you can only get tix for one game, and I need two. And the waiting room doesn’t guarantee tickets, does it? Do tickets come up on Ticketmaster as well? Or would you guys recommend going the Stubhub route once tickets are released? Or should I just buy what’s there now?

Gotta say the Bell Centre seems much much better than the ACC. Bigger and better priced. Another reason to love the Habs!

If you’re desire is (affordable) tickets, avoid Stubhub period. It’s gouging, plain and simple.
If you get shutout in the general ticket release, I would recommend craigslist. It allows you to refine your ticket search to “for sale by owner” (rather than by dealer/broker), and there are occasionally reasonable people and reasonable prices. For example, I got blue line reds for 20$ over face value last year, and first-row whites to the final regular season home game for 30$ over face.
Many people can’t stand the uncertainty – especially those coming from out of town – but the best deals to be had are often the day of the game.
If you plan a trip without having tickets beforehand, with patience and resourcefulness, and a willingness to do some bargaining, there is no conceivable way you would get shut out. There are scalpers aplenty, and as puck drop nears, their desperation mounts while their prices plummet. One method I’ve used with success is to show up the the Bell Centre at game time, watch the first 5 or 10 minutes on the big screen TVs through the windows of La Cage of Sports, and then get tickets for less than face value from a scalper.

It’s kind of sad that Jerry Jones is telling everyone that Nnamdi Asomugha really, deep-down, in his heart, wanted to be a Cowboy. So much so that he signed with their division rivals. Sure. Like Benoit really really wanted to be a Montreal Canadien.

My friend John Primiani and I would roam the corridors of Vanier College and look for talent. He’d nod to a particular lovely and state, straight-faced: “I could have (done) her… but she wouldn’t let me”. The thing is, I’m pretty sure John meant it as a joke.

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For my training camp surprise, I want the second coming of Mike McPhee. And maybe Kent Carlson.

1. Scott Hannan really isn’t good. He’s as slow as Spacek with less offense and possibly worse defense as well.
2. Hannan signed a deal there to be close to home.
3. Taxes in Alberta are significantly lower in Alberta, so add in these last two factors and we’re probably looking at a slower, worse Spacek for 2.5M who in spite of being younger has hit his decline earlier than Spacek.

Actually, Hannan is 32, and will turn 33 this season. In terms of his actual NHL mileage, when playoff games are factored in, he has played more games than Jaro Spacek.
I’m with Berkshire. Hannan is no good.
Spacek isn’t either though, and hopefully someone, say Weber, plays well enough to twist JM’s hand into playing the youngsters over the vet (which he has sadly seemed loath to do).

Does anyone really think the Jets’ logo is crummy? I love it. Simple and elegant with a nod to the history of the area.

As for the Kukla’s Korner article. No. Brodeur is not better than Roy, in any way. Roy also (in spite of his insanely large ego) had the sense to retire when the game had passed him by, Marty doesn’t get it.

Honestly Brodeur to me is very similar to Chris Osgood. He’s got great endurance, but he’s nowhere near the greats to me. Even Belfour I thought was more dominating when on his game, Brodeur is just a very good goaltender who happened to play in the perfect goaltending situation for his entire career. Not to mention that despite playing on a contending team his entire career, his playoff totals aren’t even close to his biggest competition in Roy.

I’m not saying he’s the same skill as Osgood, I’m saying similar situations. Brodeur will be a first ballot hall of famer with no complaints. However I don’t rank him even top 3 of the last generation. Osgood just sucks. The people saying he should be in the hall of fame are ridiculous. At that standard you might as well induct Jim Carrey and Arturs Irbe too.

I don’t believe Osgood should be in the HOF, but let’s give the guy some credit. Comparing him to Carey and Irbe is a huge exaggeration. An AB trademark. I mean the guy’s has 400 wins for God sake. There’s like 10 people in the history of the NHL that has that. He has won Cups. He was never elite, but was a hell of a reliable goalie for a lot of years.

As for Brodeur, there’s nothing at all that points to him not being one of the top goalie’s of all time. He was dominant for well over a decade.

Andrew, I do like the new logo. I will admit, the first day I saw it, I was iffy. Mainly because I really liked the old one, given I grew up with it. But I think the new one is good. I look forward to seeing how they work the colours/lines in the new jerseys. Still can’t believe they aren’t for sale. I was at the Jets store the opening weekend of sales, and you had to order in advance (with payment) and wait for launch date (which was unknown). I do find the organization has been behind the 8 ball in some of their procedures.

As for Martin F., he is absolute HOF, and I think he is a step behind Patrick only because of Patrick’s playoff performances. He is right there with Belfour and perhaps ahead. The problem with Martin is he was and is and instinct goalie. As he has aged it has made him look below average on nights. He really should have called it a couple years ago, but i think chasing records has kept him around. I am hoping he doesn’t actually need the money still.

I give it a D. Not a failure, but close. I think it’s too on point, so to speak, to have the current F-18 outline on the roundel. I think they could have cartooned it up a little more, appealed to kids more. I feel the use of military imagery kind of forces your hand as a fan. Any detractors open themselves up to being seen as unpatriotic, etc.

When it was first revealed, I mentioned on these pages that the logo should have contained the Sabre Jet outline. It would still serve as a salute to our military history, but its rounded, retro form would be more kitschy and have a ‘Rocketeer’ feel to it.

I am inclined toward liking the Jets logo. One of its main attractions for me is that there are not cartoon elements to it. I detest the puerile attempts to sell coyotes holding sticks and billed goalie masks and stick munching sharks.

I am thankful to be a Habs fan.

That being said, there is a blandness to the jet. The image could have a lot more impact to my mind though, not being a graphic artist, I cannot say what would make it so.

I like the logo too, not that I plan on switching allegiances back or anything. I’m a weak-kneed pacifist who wishes Canada could just be superfriends with everybody and disband the military altogether, then spend all that money saved on roads, schools, hospitals and subsidized pro sports stadiums, but even I find the “militaristic critique” insulting.

Sholi wins the most cringeworthy post of the week award with his military stance and sense of duty. His heart might be in the right place, but his wide-eyed naive views are his shortcomings. The only winners in war are the banks. They loan/fund both sides of all wars and keep nations/govts in debt forever. Canada does NOT have the resources and money to fight wars and support the military overseas. It’s very shortsighted to believe that, and the roles are mere band-aid solutions.
Capitalism is the system that creates poverty, debt, and economic strife- the breeding ground for war and the reason 25,000 die of hunger/malnutrition every day.
Politicians don’t need to sell and support capitalism anymore as it’s so widely accepted.

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“God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment: “How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Psalms 82:1-2

Shilo was there and severely wounded. But the Canadians stood firm and set a powerful example to the combatants and our allies who had been backing down when confronted costing thousands of civilian casualities. He deserves your respect not this BS!

whatever hippie, capitalism is why you have food in your fridge and an internet connection

as for issues regarding the military industrial complex, i dont necessarilly disagree with you but for the amount of smug judgement you pass onto others for being uninformed sheep, you are equally guilty for being baited by people who make money off of keeping people paranoid

re Jeff Angus, The Hockey Writers: “…Tampa Bay coach Guy Boucher made an interesting point during an interview last season. He mentioned how he told his players to spend most of their times on their strengths. He made sure Steven Stamkos would get faster and get his shot harder and more accurate. Often times we get goal scorers trying to work on their defense or their strength. I’m not saying to avoid what you are bad at, but Boucher’s philosophy works with slotting players in the right roles. Your defensive specialists – get them to work on faceoffs, positioning, stick work, that sort of thing. They still have to keep their offensive skills sharp, but work on your strengths first. ”

…crying o’er spilt milk doesn’t get Us anywhere …but just thought I would shed at least ONE tear dis mornin’ …just fer da Hell of it

Wait … hold on. So Boucher thinks players should be used according to their strengths? So he doesn’t think, for instance, that small, fast, skilled players should try to play a grinding trap game? I don’t understand. Surely a better idea is to ignore the strengths and capabilities of your players and make them all play the same way?

I think the small fast players like Gio and Gomez did it pretty well in New Jersey to the tune of three Cups…
Why is it we simply assume JM ignores the players strenghts and simply uses them badly….
Seems to be doing a pretty good job myself…
3 playoff series, and 26 playoff games in 2 seasons…

…I have no issue in the Winnipeg Jets acknowledging itself as one of Canada’s major aerospace and military/airforce centres …but, do it in a way that is aesthetically original …rather than so in-your-face obvious
…I have not seen the full sweater and colour design, so I am only commenting on the logo
…sure it will be popular among some, but it will also be polarizing
…that being said, I thought the old Jets’ unis were also not aesthetically pleasing, except maybe to a Winnipeger whom likely identified with it in a way I could not
…I also do not understand the RCAF cooperating and signing-off approval to use it’s ensignia on a commercial sport team’s uniform
…what if, hypothetically, a Jet, in a U.S. city (as a worst-case scenario) has a Wayne Maki/Todd Bertuzzi moment ?
…I can see the silos opening now, from Plattsburg AFB to it’s Trident-class subs …on little ol’ innocent Winnipeg :))

They would have to find Wpg first. Snow covered cammoflauge in winter, Mosquito cammo in the summer! Okay I am going to get it from the Peggers, sorry making fun of the hometown, using the stereotypes everyone ribs me with when I defend the center of Canada…

Kovalev and the brothers Kostitsyn are amongst the most talented and productive Habs to have played here in the last 15 years. The rest is utter crap. Kovalev made the Habs respectable when they otherwise weren’t and AK was, until Pacs and the trade for Cole, our only other true power forward over the same period. I think the message is that they should make him happy or trade him quickly before he heads south (or back home) to make someone else’s top six more than respectable, while we get nada.

Yeah, cause Cammi and Markov have really been useless…
And saying AK has been among the most productive Habs in the last 15 years is a pretty outrageous statement, AND HIGHLY INACCURATE.
Koivu, Turgeon, Damphousse, Recchi, Perreault, Ribeiro, Ryder, Souray, Streit, Markov, and Plekanec have all been as or more productive than AK…

All this kerfuffle about Ak and Gomez is really the result of a slow day at the office.
As we well know news is scarce about Hockey in August and Hickey probably had to write something to get his paycheck.
Comparing apples to oranges.. Gomez and AK are both quilty of ragging it at times.
To say Gomez wasn’t a major disappointment last year and the year before is an understatement given his salary.
As for AK’s rant, for God sakes grow up. We have all at one time or another had bum bosses who did not treat us as we felt we should be but at the end of the day, who pays your salary?
Get on with it and do your job!

Having said that let’s be fair. JM is not Mr Smiles and Chuckles and a HR course on how to deal with staff would be in order. Dale Carnegie may be the place he should go!
His record with the rookies, stars(?) and the press is not exactly inspirational.
JM is playing with a small team,staturewise and his idea of defense first is what kills any possible offence production even if Gomez (useless) and AK are supposed to be the best shooters, passers and
(Stars?) offence that we can muster..Thank God Cammy still puts on a show and PK and Carey are doing their thing..Much to Don Cherry’s lament!

In my opinion and as much as it pains me to say it, placing the Habs ahead of Boston in terms of prospects doesn’t do justice to Boston, even with the graduation of Seguin. Hamilton and Khokhlachev should have sky-rocketed the Bruins in prospect rankings. Even granting the notion that the Bruins do not have a deep prospect pool, their high end talent is impressive.

Nice to see but the Ivan Hlinka Team for Canada taking Gold is about par for the course. The U20s is what I want to see, Canada’s stumbled in the Gold for two years straight now, time for them to get back up there and not blow it.

In my opinion I think that Scott Gomez is a great player but had a poor season because in part he played with underachieving players. I give lot’s of credit to Gomez for taking all the blame for his poor season rather than lashing out or making up excuses like blaming the coach. In my book that’s what a true leader is all about. I believe that his cap hit in 2012-13 will be reduced to 5 million per season,which is fine with me. I’m hoping that with the acquisition of Cole and the return of MaxPac Gomez will have a much improved season.

His cap hit remains 7.357M throughout the term of his contract. In 12/13 he gets paid 5.5M and in 13/14 he gets 4.5M but his cap hit remains 7.357M. That is what makes him attractive moving forward from the trade deadline on to teams looking to reach the cap floor.

It also puts the onus on him to justify his cap hit with a turn around season. If he repeats his dismal numbers though he might not even look good to teams looking to make the cap floor. At that point Gomez would look good in a Bulldogs uniform.

Agreed Kempie … creative financial accounting seems to have failed globally so no reason the NHL should be a bastion for it. Alas, given the NHL is all about making money, we are more likely to see new financial instruments created that can be added and subtracted from contracts and traded without personnel exchanged between teams.

I disagree. I think that there would be more circumvention of the cap if they used actual salaries, by back-end loading the contract. Example: 34-year-old UFA wants a final contract; he’s worth about 3 mil a year now and will likely play for 3 more years. Instead of a 3 year 3 mil/yr deal, Sather signs him to a six-year deal at 1mil, 1mil, 1mil, 3 mil, 3mil, 3mil. UFA plays for three years then Sather buys him out regardless of whether he can still play or not. The player still gets his 9 million but the cap principle has been successfully voided because the cap hit never rises above 1.5mil. IMO back-end loaded contracts circumvent the cap more than front-end contracts.

I generally agree that as bad as his season was, he was saying the right things. However, let’s remember that he kept his position on #1 or #2 line the whole season and his playing time did not suffer. If he had been moved to 3rd line duty, maybe he would have made different comments about the situation like so many others unfortunately do.

That said, I want to give him the benefit of the doubt and remain optimistic about this upcoming season. He’d better put his money where his mouth is though, I think he’ll be on a short leash with coach and fans.

I’m one who differs from the popular notion that losing A.K would harm us. He is a cancer to this team just like his brother was. Have we all forgotten that he is a floater and often goes over 20 games without scoring. As for JM he did play A.K on the top 2 lines for at least 80% of the entire season and A.K did squat. So what’s all of this rubbish that came out of his mouth about unfair treatment from the coach. Send him to nashville or better yet go to the KHL.

A.K’s slump began after he was placed on the second line which was an attempt by JM to boost the 2nd line scoring. I cannot possibly recall how many games these streches of slumps are but they are frequent. It just boggle’s me that he blames the coach for his underachievement eventhough JM has used A.K on the top 2 lines for 80% of the entire season. How can that make any sense at all.

actually kostitsyn started the season great with pleks and cammy.
then he was put down to play with gomez which is when his slump started.
and if ak is a “cancer” (way to use a term that kills millions of people to describe a hockey player) because he is inconsistent what does that make cammy and gomez?
btw before people jump on me.. i am a big cammellri fan.. but his streaky play during the season cannot be denied

Shouldn’t presume to claim someone is a cancer in a dressing room unless you too are in the dressing room.For all we know his teammates might like him,agree with him and understand him.No way we could know.

“Wanting is often more pleasurable than having.It is not logical but it is often true.” – Spock

80% of the season on the top 2 lines means he spent 20 games or so on the bottom 2 lines, which is not a small number of game for a player that finished 4th in points (2 pts behind second place!) and 3rd in goals. Considering Gomez never got demoted even though his season was a lot worse, it’s easy to understand why AK got upset.

wow… it’s hilarious that scott “i am a veteran with two stanley cup rings” gomez gets an article talking about his bounce back year,
a day after kostitsyn gets bashed by everyone and no one from the media even stood up for him.
considering kostitsyn scores more, hits more, play defensively better, makes twice less money than gomez.. this is just absurd

he’s saying the timing is odd: the day after Kostitsyn gets unfairly treated, Gomez gets pampered.

I personally think today’s Gomez news isn’t positive and so the point doesn’t hold so well. The news here is just saying Gomez is a candidate for a turn-around season. There’s nothing there about a guarantee he will turn it around. In fact, one of the main points made about Gomez is how bad he was.

the thing is.. talk is cheap.. gomez has been a waste of money and an embarrassment on the ice for 2 years now.
he gives the same b.s. replies to the media with his little jokes and this keeps the media happy and content.
kostitsyn actually gave an honest assessment of what he thought and got blasted for it by the media
——————
The 2010-11 Stanley Cup was not won, but given

I agree! I however believe Andre has his nose a liitle out of joint with the Cole signing. This rant was his way of saying, I want to play on the first or second line or maybe I want to go to a team who will use me in this capacity.

This is the whole “Gomez article” you reference: “Gomez is coming off the worst season of his career, a 38-point, minus-15 debacle that left many people in Montreal wondering how much he has left at age 31. It was a huge dropoff for a player who had averaged 66 points (and never had less than 58) in his previous five seasons. Gomez has to prove he’s still a top-six forward — and that he’s worth the big-money deal the Canadiens inherited when they acquired him from the Rangers two years ago.”

The article makes no prediction about Gomez bouncing back, just that he is a candidate to (pretty obvious choice). It is highly likely that Gomez does bounce back, he set the bar so low relative to his career and recent production. I just don’t see where AK46 is treated as trash, I’ve seen much worse written and spoken about Gomez than AK46.

While a rebound year for Gomez would be good, the key to the Habs’ success is entirely based on the ice — or more precisely, what is just above the ice.
If you watch footage from 1993 or previous seasons at The Forum, the baseboards above the ice are blue (I remember the Minnesota North Stars used to have green trim above the ice too). Then, the following season, the baseboards were changed to yellow, like they are in all NHL rinks today. I’m not sure if the league passed some regulation that all arenas had to have yellow baseboards but ever since then, we’ve only even come within spitting distance of Lord Stanley, in 2010. So clearly, the key to victory is a fresh coat of blue paint.

1. Andrei Kostitsyn
a. EITHER AK is a disappearing whiner who was way out of line
b. OR he’s got a fair point, didn’t go that far, and it’s Jacky Martin who is the bigger cause of this (over-inflated) flap.

2. Cole
a. EITHER Cole should put up 25 goals +
b. OR we shouldn’t expect too much on our defense-first team.

3. PK & Price
a. EITHER PK and Price will both have the kind of season that short-lists them for major awards
b. OR as good as they are, it’s too much to think both will live up to the hype they’ve been getting.

4. Eller – Gomez
a. EITHER Eller will pick up where he left off and challenge Gomez for his job
b. OR Gomez is going to be much better this year and Eller is only a 3rd line center at this point

5. Standings
a. EITHER we will challenge for top spot in the east
b. OR we shouldn’t have to worry too much about making the playoffs, but that’s about it

I don’t think he even thinks about thinking about anything requiring physical exertion in the off-season. The Molsons should give him ten games this season and if things don’t improve send him down to the ‘dogs. Be men, take the salary hit and just sell more beer to make yourselves whole.

” Milan Lucic has altered his Stanley Cup celebration plans for Sunday. He is well aware of the harsh reaction the Vancouver fans displayed. Earlier this summer the presence of Lucic at a festival sparked a fight between attendees. As a result Lucic now plans to keep his celebration private and low-key, a wise move we think. It is a shame that a Stanley Cup champion cannot celebrate any way he wishes but those are the realities in hockey-crazed cities. (Source: Vancouver Sun)”
Awwwh, too bad big guy!

I do not see Gomez having a “breakout” year although in my dreams he does!! That’s where it ends…dreams. He is finished as a top forward and his play over the past two years proves it. That’s life in pro hockey and the sooner we move him and his insane contract the sooner we can move forward.

Wow, this AK thing is getting a lot of press, even making SI. Any of our reporters trying to get in touch with him to ask what he really meant by what he said? Was it taken out of context? Etc…
Anyway, I’m confident this will be handled behind closed doors and be a non issue. I read and hear a lot about this team’s chemistry and that it’s a good room so I’m sure the captain and/or some of our team leadershave touched base with a “Hey Andrei, wtf did you really say in that interview over there?”
He’s not going anywhere, just doing some venting with his little brother ( who I’m sure has a beef with this organization) thinking it had no chance of reaching NA press.

“That beautiful bastard scored semi-conscious.” On the Rocket’s Game 7 game winning goal against the Bruin’s April, 1952

Mr. Hickey (who I believe is widely considered the main Habs English beat reporter) not only gave credence in rubber stamping the same 3rd hand rough translation snippets we all saw on the web, but went further using it to tip his “Andrei Kostitsyn has got to go” indictment. I agree with savethepuck and hope someone from the Gazette does a bit of diligence on this to dig into the story and at least talk with A.Kostitsyn to get his take on it.

The so-called “Kostitsyn mess” has been blown way out of proportion and provoked a lot of over-reaction. Kostitsyn understandably found the way he was used last season frustrating and he spoke his mind, probably not realizing that remarks made to a Belorussian newspaper would have such a resounding echo over here. Granted this was thoughtless and unwise; but the remarks reached us in a poor translation and with little context.

I think Pierre Gauthier and Jacques Martin have to take some action on this, but dumping Kostitsyn would be the wrong action. The over-reaction is due in part no doubt to the fact that Kostitsyn will always and unfairly labour under the burden of having been preferred over Getzlaf, Richards and company in the 2003 draft. He will never deliver what was hoped of him. But he is still a valuable member of the team. He is a great passer who possesses a laser shot, he hits like a tank, and last season he was far better defensively than he had been. The Habs can ill afford to lose him now, at the tail end of a summer in which only scraps remain from a thin free-agent crop. Kostitsyn’s frustration is partially justified, as is his bafflement at the way he was used. It is up to Gauthier and Martin to see that there is effective communication with all players and that each understands his role. I would hate to see Kostitsyn become another in the line of young players who have left the team because they don’t “get along” with their coach or don’t understand their role, only to flourish elsewhere.

Agreed. The return for SK74 was definitely underwhelming. Yes, sometimes a player and a team need a change and sometimes addition by subtraction is a good thing but if AK is moved, I’d rather not get a couple of average AHL players in return.

Hey maybe in a twisted way, this whole little AK Mess is what is needed to open communications between JM and AK. Have to believe PG is going to ensure that both sides will clear this matter prior to training camp opening. Perhaps both sides will come out of this a little smarter. End of day it is alot about little.

Martin does not play thus can be replaced,period! AK is one very needed athlete on a team of athletes that have been whipped into a vertigo by the dominatrix move’s of a CRAP Coach…..trade Count Chocula for a bag of dog-balls cus that all you’ll get!

Not to keep beating an already-dead horse, but I wonder if SK74 had an influence on AK46 airing his frustrations. Or for that matter, being frustrated at all. Not trying to excuse what Andrei did as I am not a big fan of these things getting the ears of the media, but just wondering.

Yah hard not to believe he wouldn’t be some influence. I can’t imagine however that playing for Barry Trotz is alot different than playing for JM. I think the biggest difference is Nashville didn’t have the front line forwards Mtl. had therefore giving SK the 1st line mins. in Nashville.

You have to wonder though if SK doesn’t miss the limelight and nightlife of Montreal compared to Nashville.

All valid points. While I’m sure we’ve all been frustrated by AK over the years – mostly due to the inconsistencies in his performance and the expectations placed upon him due to his draft (rightly or wrongly) – he’s a great option to have due to his skills and versatility, and even more so if the team’s roster has a top 9 (which I think we finally have) as opposed to a standard top 6.

I’m not so sure that 15:11 TOI/G qualifies as “1st line mins”. There were 8 forwards on Nashville last season with more TOI/G than S.Kostitsyn’s 15:11. Perhaps the kid just played well and made the most of his opportunities last season?

Yes, he finished the season in a much more important role than he started the season in and he does seem to be much higher on their depth chart now. It’s just that you claimed the biggest difference was his getting “1st line mins” yet his TOI stats don’t bear that out. I think it was more that he worked his way up the lines and depth chart because of his play and not that his play simply reflected his 1st line TOI. I guess we saw it differently.

I get the feeling that Trotz is a very good communicator, much better so than Martin (but that’s not saying very much I also find it interesting that Nashville, despite not having the “front line forwards” Mtl. had, still managed to finish the season with the same 2.60 G/G as Montreal. Trotz has done a great job with limited resources in Nashville.

I see your point B, I should have said Top 6 Minutes as opposed to top line. As for comparing the top 6 talent, I still prefer our top 6 over Nashville. Trotz is a brilliant coach, perhaps the most underrated in all the NHL. My comparisons between he and JM are from a defensive responsibility perspective.

Unfortunately our system is very stifling on our top 6 getting big points. Hopefully with PK, Markov both in lineup we will see a better offense this year.

Really hope Mr. Gomez and his renewed workouts this summer will provide the physical edge required for him to bounce back this fall. Would like to believe he has the inner fortitude to go with this. Maybe a good thing he didn’t go to Belarus for the Dolph Lundgren Rocky 4 dryland training with AK and SK!

Team Canada’s Under18 club goes against Sweden today in the Ivan Hlinka Tournament U18 finals. They beat the Russians 5-0 while Sweden needed O/T to beat Finland 4-3. Sweden beat Canada 5-1 in the opening game due to 3 PPG’s as the Canadians spent much time in the sin bin. Since then they have won all their games, while out scoring their opponents 17-1.

G-Man, you don’t consider yourself worthy/entitled to basic human rights? You feel resigned in having to pay and fight for it? We shouldn’t, and we’ve allowed ourselves to be ruled and taken over by capitalists and politicians.

——————————————————————-
“God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment: “How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Psalms 82:1-2

There is something seriously wrong with nEverlasting. I don’t wish his personality on anyone. I picture a group of people enjoying themselves, and then this lonely kid sitting in the corner wanting to be a part of it. That’s what I see when I read his posts in this topic. Usually I just pass over him like he’s not even here. In fact I just did.

JM: Okay, boys, what have you got for me today.
[Cunneyworth and Ladouceur each hands over a page filled with text, single-spaced.]
Hmmmm. Good stuff. Kostitsyn’s from Belarus, eh? And here I thought he was hard to understand because his teeth were impacted. Okay, I’ll bone up on Belarus later and learn something about his country on the Internet so we can carry on a conversation.
Let’s see….ooh, that’s one good to know. So Gionta played for the Devils, did he? Interesting. Can you guys come up with a joke about the trap? A system that boring has got to be worth a chuckle. Gionta’s got a sense of humour, right? I like that in an assistant captain. Captain! When? LAST season? Come to think of it, Kirkie did say something about appointin’ Gionta. Note to self: shell out for a program this year.
I think I’ll start callin’ him Cap. Make him feel special. Get those good vibes goin’, open up the lines of communication. Speakin’ of lines what do you think if … sorry, got off track.
Okay, where were we?
“Moen is spelled M-O-E-N.” Whaaat! How do you pronounce it? No kiddin’!
Ooh, this is somethin’. “Wears silk panties to help him skate faster.” Where in hell do you find panties that size? Find out and send a monogrammed pair from me for a job well done. No, not my initials. His. Geez!
Hey, if you guys are looking for some decent underwear, check out my cousin’s website, http://www.yvesmartin.com, I can probably get you a good discount.
Back to business: “Has a poster of the prime minister in his locker.” But he’s not Canadian! The English prime minister? This is just too confusing! How’s this goin’ to help me connect to the player? Hey, what if I casually drop a line from one of those Monty Bison films? You’re shaking your heads. Yeah, you’re right, it would be too obvious. From now on, when I want him on the ice I’ll just say ‘Tally ho!’
“Eats poutine with his fingers.”
“Tells jokes, does imitations, pulls pranks, talks to his broker every half-hour.”
“Wears turtleneck even in shower.”
“Lassoes players when they walk in from the parking lot.”
“Corrects teammates EVERY time they say his name wrong.”
“Uses Q-Tips to clean nostrils before trimming nose hairs” – okay, way too much information.
Well, boys, you’re doin’ a great job ferreting out all this information. Before this camp is over, I’ll know everything a coach should know about his players, even the stuff that isn’t hockey related. No more Mr. Glummy Glummy Ho-Hum caught up in his own little world, who can’t communicate with his players. We’ll be sick of sleeves by the time the season opens. What’s that? Thick as thieves? Oh, okay.
That’s it for tonight, boys. Again, wonderful work. See you first thing in the morning.
Oh, by the way, any idea why Kirkie hasn’t made it out to a meeting yet?

You’re makin’ me blush. Actually, any time someone posts a link to DGB, I check it out and always find his column quite amusing. He does a really good job. So your comment is quite flattering. Thought about setting up a blog, even bought a Dummies book to learn more about it, but it WAS OVER 25 PAGES LONG! What was I thinkin’?

Actually John, DGB does a great job, I think his greatest gift is the simpleness of his blogs. I think you may write at a level above his, of course this may be due to the fact that DGB’s biggest audience is Leaf fans and you my friend write for the Hab’s fans. We do like to think we are a little more intelligent don’t we?

Nah, family reunion. We throw our ball caps in a circle, pick teams. Supposed to be touch football but tell that to Grandma. Ever since she got that wheeled walker …
Hope to take in the Labour Day Classic against … the Alouettes!!!??

As soon as I first read months ago about the Labour Day game being changed, I wrote a letter to Mr. Cohon. The last couple years a buddy of mine has been running a busload of us for that game. Not so this year, just doesn’t have the right feel. Really too bad.

We (as a country), cannot let others lay down and die at the hands of people who believe in a book written thousands of years ago and treat their women and children the same as said book.

If we to the attitude of some in this country (let others do the dirty work and leave Canada out of it) what would this country look like? How could you live with yourself knowing there are people out there dying, and all it takes to keep them alive is to have an army in place to watch over them until their own can provide the necessities of life.

I’m very patriotic. My entire life (the last 21 years) was all about helping others. There was a cost, I lost a lot of friends, but we choose this life knowing the dangers.

I have one regret in my life. I wish (1993) we would have attacked the _______ one day sooner than we did. That way 5000 civilians would be alive today. But we waited on day too late to kick their ass back to the stone age. After we did that, the Bosnian war in our AOR was over, and no other civilian died under our mission.

People who want to sit back and take care of their own is fine. But what kind of person are you if you think it’s ok to let people die and not even think about helping them when we have the resources to do it?

Trade and commerce is the key to a country’s survival. How many countries on this earth would trade with us, if we said “NO Thanks, send your own armies to do the dirty work?”

Governments make mistakes, but helping other countries survive is not one of them.

Shane, I understand some people have issues with where and when our gov’t has chosen to send our Armed Forces. I am not going to say that I have blind support for where our “government officials” (not the Armed Forces) choose to get involved. But for the people like you who have stood up and CHOSEN to join our armed forces are people who are standing up for our country and defending the way of life which we all now enjoy.

The Winnipeg Jets ownership group didn’t want to name this team the Jets as they felt that this was a different franchise. However, the public support for that name was just too overwhelming to ignore. As a result True North went with the Jets name but made a chance to the Logo to reflect this different franchise. In that change they chose to model the logo after the Armed Forces. Winnipeg is a city which has always had a significant contribution to the Armed Forces in Canada. I myself lived close to the old Kapyong Forces Base at Kenaston and Grant.

I think it is a nice tribute to the people of the Armed Forces throughout Canada. For people to now suggest this logo is inappropriate, I feel in my opinion that this is almost a slag on the people of the Forces.

Shane, look forward to meeting you, thanks for what you have done for this country. I hope your recent retirement goes well. Having read about your Hockey Week planned around the Summit, what a way to kick it off.

Cheers my friend.

I don’t mean to sound like Don Cherry when discussing this subject, but I think too many people confuse the Political choices of our leaders with the sacrifices of the people who joined our Armed Forces. We have traditionally been a peace loving country who have tried to help maintain peace with the help of our troops. I recognize the most recent endeavours in Afghaniston have been met with differeing opinions. But at the end of the day it is the troops making the sacrifices for others and I will always support you guys and gals for what you do.

Canadians have a proud history when it comes to military actions. Politics be damned, Canada needs people that can step between opponents and open a can of whoop ass when necessary. People who don’t know the history cannot know how important our troops have been. Without Canadian troops sacrificing themselves, this world would be a much different place.

Amen. Remember Vimy (I’ve been there, have you?), Dieppe (ditto) and our men’s bravery and sacrifices. It’s that blood and courage which made Canada free and great, not a discredited Liberal vote buying policy like so-called ‘multiculturalism.’ Listen to Sarkozy, Cameron and Merkel on that.

I can’t be the only one wanting revenge against Chara, Julien & Co. Do you think Toe Blake or Scotty Bowman would have let them get away with it?

The top 20 countries in the world by military expenditure last year spent approximately $1.4 trillion on their military, with the U.S. making up about 40% of that figure and most of the big spenders ranking amongst the world’s most developed nations. This represents a roughly 40% increase in military spending in the past 15 years, worldwide. Do people feel like the world is a safer place today than 15 years ago?

Is Somalia stabilized? Is Iraq stabilized after nearly 20 years of conflict? Afghanistan has been in a state of war for nearly 30 years…two generations of kids have grown up knowing nothing more than war and violence. How do people honestly think THAT is going to play out if the poverty of today continues?

Lik HabinBurlington suggested, I can support most of the individuals in the military, who have bravely put their lives at risk for something they believe in.

But I am not naive. In most of the armed conflicts Canada has been involved in in the past 50 years, very little has changed. Lives were protected, and this is noble. But the underlying hatred and poverty that are the root causes of those conflicts continue to be ignored.

The vast military expenditures would be far better served by eradicating the brutal poverty that so discourages people that they become ripe pickings for terrorist organizations who promise them a better life.

That money could go towards building infrastructure in impoverished nations, many of which have been pillaged by industrialized powers and their eternal search for more resources to fuel our own extravagantly wasteful and completely unsustainable way of life.

That money could go towards educating the young people in those countries, so that they are better equipped to address the issues their countries face in their own culturally unique ways, as opposed to the paternalistic West-knows-best model that we currently use.

There IS a role for a military in our society. One need only look at the two World Wars to see this. But a military is a last resort, when all reasonable solutions have been explored and ineffective. And it should be objective: when we refuse to help in countries like Sudan, Equatorial Guinea, Guatamala, East Timor/Indonesia or stand by and watch a genocide unfold (Rwanda) as those countries are of little strategic interest or interference would be politically risky, we discard our moral compass and open ourselves up to criticisms of why exactly we are interfering in ongoing conflicts in other parts of the world.

Canada is a model society to the world not because of our military, but because people can look at this society and see people of all races, religions and languages living side-by-side in relative harmony, including thousands who believe very strongly in “a book written thousands of years ago and treat their women and children the same as said book”.

This is why so many (including myself) dislike the Jets new logo. Canadians have, in general, always been proud of our military history, but we do not embrace milatarism.

Nice post. However, the military spending has to be there and, no, using those funds would not eradicate poverty in the world. The world is made up of those plotting to do us in. Just as we do the same. Always has been; always will be. Mankind is built that way.
The world isn’t so simple a place that education works to benefit everyone. For example, we all know that emptying the oceans of fish is a very stupid thing to do. We know this. It is happening anyway. The same as war everlasting. It is a very stupid thing to do. It is happening anyway. Wishing it away will not work.

I respect your comments Chris, I do think however, by and large our military has played a significantly different role throughout the world than the U.S. forces, specifically over the past 40 years.

As I said earlier, the most recent conflicts in Afghanistan is a very fragile and delicate situation. I know in having spoken with many soldiers who have returned from there, they give a completely different take than what we read day to day in our media reports. Countless stories of families being thankful for the opportunities they have now been allowed with the presence of the Canadian forces.

It is unfortunate, that the military presence throughout the world over the last 15 years has become much more political, I think specifically of the role the U.S. has played.

It will be interesting to watch what happens in the near future as Canada is/has (ongoing I believe) withdrawing our troops from the Afghanistan conflict.

Absolutely, spending resources on helping world poverty is a key. My brother spent a month at Christmas in Kenya helping build a SandDamn to provide water for a village. I recently got to see him the pictures and hear his story. What an unbelievable experience he had, life changing.

I would agree with you that Canada and the U.S. had different military objectives up until the early 1990’s. Since then, Canada has abandoned its historical peace-keeping role and adopted a much more aggressive peace-making role similar to that employed by the United States. We’ve been in Iraq (round I), Afghanistan and Libya right next to the Americans and British in both ground and air combat with nary a blue helmet to be seen.

And I agree that there has been a lot of good done in Afghanistan. What I question is whether it is lasting good, good that can survive when those pockets of good are no longer cordoned off by the highly trained and infinitely better equipped troops of the Western nations.

Please. I believe in “that book” and you don’t see me killing people. You can’t use religion as a reason to explain somebody’s actions. People are people. If a person is a crazy zealot, he would be a crazy zealot with or without religion, with or without politics, with or without war.